Identification of Novel Potential miRNA and mRNA Biomarkers in High Myopia Using Systems Biology Approaches

Myopia, also known as shortsightedness, is a common eye disorder characterized by a refractive error of the eye. It is estimated that by 2050, over 1 billion people will be affected by myopia. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs play a significant role in the genetic factors contributing to myopia. However, the current understanding of the number and role of certain miRNAs in myopia is limited. This study aims to identify unknown miRNAs and their involvement in high myopia.

The raw dataset (GSE142359), consisting of miRNAs, was obtained from the GEO database. The dataset includes 10 samples, 5 from patients with high myopia and 5 from controls. Differentially expressed genes were identified using the EdgeR package in R software. The most significant miRNAs were then entered as input into the miRWalk web tool and target genes were identified. Subsequently, the PPI network was extracted using STRING and 10 clusters were identified. After that, we selected the most related cluster with myopia. Finally, we used DGIdb to identify candidate drugs for treatment of high myopia.

A total of 136 miRNAs were identified as significant differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs). Then, we constructed miRNA-mRNA bipartite network with 564 interactions including 490 genes and 50 miRNAs. Afterwards, 5 miRNAs including: hsa-miR-195-5p, hsa-miR- 24-3p, hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-181b-5p, and hsa-miR-130a-3p and 8 proteins including ESR1, BCL2, VEGFA, FGF2, MAPK14, H2AX, APP, and MAP3K10 were identified. Finally, two new miRNAs including hsa-miR-195-5p and hsa-miR-24-3p, and three novel proteins including: ESR1, BCL2, and MAPK14 were proposed as potential biomarker in high myopia.

This study revealed new miRNAs previously unknown in highly myopic eyes through bioinformatics analysis. The identified candidate miRNAs and their related drug targets and genes can serve as potential biomarkers, improving the understanding of new therapeutic targets for highly myopic eyes.